Physiology revision Flashcards
What spirometry results would you expect to find for a patient with COPD?
Decreased or normal FVC
Decreased FEV1
Decreased FEV1/FVC %
What spirometry results would you expect to find for a patient with interstitial lung disease?
Decreased FVC
Decreased FEV1
Normal FEV1/FVC%
What spirometry results would you expect to find for a patient with a combination of restrictive and obstructive lung disease?
Decreased FVC
Decreased FEV1
Decreased FEV1/FVC%
What is Boyle’s Law?
At any constant temperature, the pressure exerted by a gas varies inversely with the volume of the gas.
“As the volume of a gas increases, the pressure exerted by the gas decreases”. Who’s Law is this?
Boyle’s Law
What are the four steps of external respiration?
Ventilation
Gas exchange between alveoli and blood
Gas transport in blood
Gas exchange at tissue level
What two factors hold the thoracic wall and the lungs in close opposition?
The intrapleural fluid cohesiveness
The negative intrapleural pressure
What does the “intrapleural fluid cohesiveness” mean?
Water molecules in intrapleural fluid are attracted to each other and resist being pulled apart. Therefore, the pleural membranes stick together.
What does the “negative intrapleural pressure” mean?
The sub-atmspheric intrapleural pressure creates a transmural pressure gradient across lung wall and across chest wall. Therefore, the lungs are forced to expand outwards and the chest forced to squeeze inwards.
What is the average value for atmospheric pressure?
760mmHg
What is the average value for intra-alveolar pressure?
760mmHg
What is the average value for intrapleural pressure?
756mmHg
What nerves supply the diaphragm?
The phrenic nerve from cervical nerves 3, 4 and 5
C3, C4, C5
Is inspiration an active or passive process?
Active
Is normal expiration an active or passive proocess?
Passive
In a pneumothroax, what happens to the intrapleural pressure?
It rises (to 760mmHg) (Not 756mmHg anymore)
What is alveolar surface tension?
Attraction between water molecules at liquid air interface.
Produces a force which resists the stretching of the lungs.
What is the Law of LaPlace?
“The smaller the alveoli, the higher the tendancy for the alveoli to collapse.”
Which law states that alveoli with a smaller radius are more likely to collapse than alveoli with a larger radius?
The Law of LaPlace
What does pulmonary surfactant prevent?
The collapse of alveoli
What is pulmonary surfactant a mixture of?
Lipids and proteins
What is pumlonary surfactant secreted by?
Type II alveoli
How does pulmonary surfactant prevent collapse of alveoli?
PUlmonary surfactant lowers surfac tension of alveoli by interspersing between the water molecules lining the alveoli.
(Lowers surface tension of smaller alveoli more than that of large alveoli)
What is respiratory distress syndrome of the new born caused by?
Lack of pulmonary surfactant
because of premature birth
According to alveolar interdependence, what happens if an alveolus starts to collapse?
The surrounding alveoli are stretched and then recoil, exerting expanding forces in the collapsing alveolus to open it.
What are the muscles of active respiration?
Internal intercostal muscles
Abdominal muscles
What is the value for:
Tidal Volume?
500ml
What is the value for:
Inspiratory reserve volume?
3000ml
What is the value for:
Inspiratory capacity?
3500ml
What is TV + IRV?
Inspiratory capacity (500+3000=3500)
What is the value for:
Expiratory reserve volume?
1000ml
What is the value for:
Residual volume?
1200ml
What is the value for:
Functional Residual Capacity?
2200ml
What is ERV + RV?
Functional Residual volume
1000 + 1200 = 2200
What is the value for:
Vital Capacity?
4500ml
What is the value for:
Total lung capacity?
5700ml
What is VC + RV?
Total lung capacity
4500 + 1200 = 5700
What is IRV + TV + ERV?
Vital capacity (3000 + 500 + 1000 = 4500)
VC =
IRV + TV + ERV
TLC =
VC + RV
IRV + TV + ERV + RV
IC =
TV + IRV
FRC =
ERV + RV
What is pulmonary compliance a measure of?
The effort that has to go into stretching or distending the lungs.
What causes decreased pulmonary compliance?
Pulmonery fibrosis Pulmonary oedema Lung collapse Pneumonia Absence of surfactant